The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life

Summary

We are a nation battered every day by stories about horrific calamities, tragic events, frightening statistics. Inevitably our thoughts turn personal and we wonder if we have what it takes to get through the worst thrown our way. While there are plenty of books about coping with adversity, it isn't until now, with WHO SURVIVES, that we discover the human factors that determine survival. It's a combination instruction audiobook and security blanket that blends compelling true stories with cutting-edge science to deliver some of the most important lessons we'll ever need to learn.

The book will: --list the most important traits necessary for survival (Fear is #1.) --identify the 5 types of survivors--debunk myths (like only the strong survive), explore the frontiers of survival science (How much strain and punishment can a human body endure?), and introduce readers to counterintuitive thinking (Ever heard of posttraumatic growth?)--provide a Survivors Tool Kit, including an online test that measures one's Survivor's Quotient

Each one of us eventually joins the club of millions who face life's inescapable tribulations and tragedies. WHO SURVIVES is the companion we need to prepare us for and guide us through the worst.

The author has researched many topics within the area of survivorship. He has interviewed a number of experts and survivors. He provides some useful information and a frank analysis of the what he learned. I would advise reading the book to help understand how you can better cope with the trials of life and be better prepared for the unexpected. The value of the computer questionnaire is questionable at best.

I was excited to read this book because I'm really into tv shows like Survivorman. And I really liked this book! It was very interesting and kept me enthralled to the end. I loved reading stories of real-life survivors who've lived through near-impossible situations. It has great tips for readers on how to survive certain situations, and after reading about how many people die each year from cement truck accidents, I'll be watching the roads more carefully! I also really loved the "Survivor Profile" test we can take at the end. It adds a bit of a personal element to the book. I've already started recommending it to friends!

Since I live on an island accessed by ferry I was particularly interested to read up on how to survive a ferry accident in Ben Sherwood's Survivor's Club. Although I am still dubious as to my chances should that moment come, Sherwood's book has definitely upped my odds of survival. This entertaining book shows us through various survival anecdotes how our attitudes and mindsets can help us almost as much as our native know how and ability. Instead of insisting to ourselves that nothing will ever happen to us, Sherwood illustrates that having a positive yet realistic attitude is the key ingredient to survival, and indeed success, not only in disasterous circumstances, but in our daily lives. Time after time his survivors describe themselves, after having edured absolutely harrowing experiences, as 'lucky'. In reality, Sherwood posits that bringing a continuous openess to one's surroundings as well as a determination to solve the problem of survival and a positive, but realistic, attitude, is the luck that we all must have in our time of crisis.

I quite liked this book. It's an interesting look at why some people survive terrible events and others don't. Sherwood uses many examples to illustrate different scenario's and then looks at the science behind it to see if there might be ways to 'improve' ones chances of survival. He even offers a quiz at the end to rate your own survival IQ.

Why do some people survive extraordinary circumstances while others fail? Why are some people luckier than others? How do some people bounce back after adversity when others never recover? The Survivors Club attempts to answer these questions and more.Though Ben Sherwood shares the scientific evidence behind survival, this book is far from clinical. By telling stories, the author paints vivid portraits of the profiled survivors and the accidents, atrocities, and adversities they faced. Though the stories are remarkable, most of the folks who survived are careful to stress that they themselves are not; they are normal people who did what needed to be done and came out on top. Sherwood suggests that you can too - by understanding the basic qualities that make people resistant and by paying careful attention to the world around you, you too can improve your chances of surviving. I enjoyed the book and loved reading the personal stories. However, if you are a Pollyanna, this book is not for you. Terrible things happen to good people. They suffer. They hurt. And ultimately, they survive. Would you?

Thank you to Library Thing and Hachette Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this fantastically informative book. I feel much better about my potential for survival. My husband and I both took the associated online Survivors quiz - I am a Thinker, he is a Believer. Surely between the two of us, we can survive!Sherwood has put together a phenomenally interesting and fact-filled book about who survives. And the why certain people survive. Through interviews with survivors world wide in every imaginable situation, this book presents a wide ranging profile of how we too can survive. As I completed the section on flight, I wanted to give the book immediately to my son who will be flying to Chicago next Thursday. Instead I told him about the Plus 3, Minus 8 rule which refers to the first three minutes of a flight and the last eight minutes before landing - these are the most likely times planes crash - and that in the event of a crash, you have about 90 seconds to get out of the plane, so sit within five rows of an exit and make note of where it is.The book is not meant to frighten people or make for OCD watchfulness in every situation. Rather it is meant to make us all more aware of our surroundings and to know how to begin to act, not react, if danger should arise. I am better for having read this book.

In some ways this book is like the proverbial train wreck; you just can't stop reading because the stories are just so compelling. Admit it, we are all fascinated by stories of survival so why NOT learn from the people who have survived horrible accidents or terrifying imprisonments. The book shows how certain people react differently in crisis situations and the author goes on to show studies of the survivors. Of why they survived. I was drawn to this book because I was faced with a life threatening medical condition. Nothing nearly as bad as the subjects in the book but any time a doctor looks you in the face and says you should be dead it rather scrambles your though processes.The book is written in a very compelling manner. It was hard to put down and I found the personal stories the most interesting. You can take a Survivor Profile to find out what type of survivor personality you have. Turns out I am a "realist" which really didn't surprise me. I enjoyed reading the book and my husband is going to read the book next.

When faced with an accident or impending disaster, how would you react? Why do some survive and some do not? The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood takes a look at the reactions people have to fear and crisis and the actions that may make a difference in survival. In this information packed book, the author explains the different personality traits and how they create the ability to survive in a crisis – or not. I found the chapter on Ninety Seconds to Save Your Life especially interesting as Mr. Sherwood explains the right and wrong things to do in a plane crash. Another interesting chapter is A knitting through the Heart and how this event saved a woman’s life! An additional subject that the author explores is what result faith in God, religion, and prayer has on crisis outcomes and if faith helps you live longer. While there is much information in the book on the profile of a survivor, the Ben Sherwood also provides access to an internet site in which you can test your own Survival Profile. I enjoyed the many stories of survival in this book and the lesson on how to react correctly in an emergency.

An interesting book about how fate and important decisions can affect you. This is a true mix of advice in a variety of real-life situations, from animal attacks and plane crashes, to falling off cliffs and natural disasters. Sherwood goes to the extent of inluding real-life stories of people who have lived and survived this. Being a human,you'd suppose that once people figure out there's smoke in the subway station, they wouldn't go in anymore, yet they do. Sherwood states that everyone has survival instincts, but whether you have the necessary instincts to survive is a completely different problem. By reading this book, you find out what kind of survivor you are, whether you'll get out of life's miseries, and whether you'll keep your head cool or not. Over all, a good book for anyone who's really preoccupied on surviving. If you're not, then pick it up to read what other people have gone through.

Interesting and easy read by a journalist curious about just why some people are able to survive harsh, traumatic conditions, from airplane crashes, auto and knitting accidents (yes, knitting!) to the holocaust. Of interest to me were the interviews with survivors, who had fairly obvious (though often overlooked?) observations about survivors: people can be different things at once. We want to believe that "people are either resilient or vulnerable, strong or weak, healthy or sick. In reality, we combine all these qualities." We can be remarkable and successful, but also suffer mightily. Interesting study of human character and resilience.

A very readable book that explores what it takes to be a survivor - to survive great trauma. The author looks at training given to those going into dangerous situation, and examples of what ordinary, untrained people did in extraordinary circumstances, that helped them survive.He talked to experts and relays their advice. He talked to survivors, and he tells their stories. The strength of this book is that he weaves together the expert opinions and real experiences to provide a coherent set of strategies. In a disaster, there are those that die quickly, and those that survive long enough that their own actions can help them survive. This book concentrates on the ones that could live or die, and who made the right choices to live. Some observations are common sense, but clearly not everyone exhibits that in a crisis. Some are force of will, not letting go. A fascinating book- recommended to all.

This was an interesting blend of statistics and anecdotes about survival. The author gave nods to all sorts of survivors, those who survived catastophic events, wars, accidents and more. The introduction of the survivor's club website and information regarding the profile of the participant in the final chapters seemed to detract from the information provided by the author earlier in the book. It felt like the book had been a marketing tool for the website.It was an interesting read and I've already made plans to pass it on to a friend.

The first rule of the Survivor's Club: everyone is a survivor. After reading this title, you may well believe that. Ben Sherwood takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of near death tales ranging from a pilot ejecting at supersonic speed to a woman that nearly died after tripping on knitting needles that pierced her heart. Each chapter includes a theme along with two or three examples of real life survivors to back up the overarching idea introduced. The book is interesting in taking many stories and preserving how fantastic they are, but bringing the narrative back to the same idea. While you may scoff at the idea of people finding religion in near death experiences, it's hard to refute Mr. Sherwood's research after interviewing so many people. The title approaches the subject sociologically; interviewing people and tallying statistics. While the footnotes are informative, I think the hardcore readers will want some of the statistical information backed up more credibly without having to thumb through the extensive bibliography. I read the book not as someone looking to increase my survivor mindset; I think if you go into reading the title this way, you will enjoy it. It may work for the reader looking to increase their chances of survival in every day life, too. The book has some great suggestions. Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the online code it comes with on the inside cover; if you go to the website listed in the book, you can determine your 'survivor personality' after taking a 15 minute online quiz. Definitely worth your time, and a great addition for your library as well. Recommended.

We all face difficult situations, but some people are resilient and some are not. Who is able to come out of tragedy or overcome a circumstance and survive? Survivors. Ben Sherwood describes survivors as those making the best of their remaining days no matter if it is 50 years after the situation or 3 days. They are overcomers, people who move on, walk forward with head held high. Sherwood interviews people who have overcome all different types of struggles, and obstacles and whom he considers to be survivors. At the end of the book the reader has the opportunity to see if he/she is a survivor and what are the strengths that she/he relies on to make it through tough times.I LOVED this book. There is so much about The Survivors Club that appealed to me. It resolves mystery, gives explanations of ways the mind works, and brings psychology to the forefront of the study. I have always (well since Highschool) been interested why people survive when others don't. Some people go through hard times over and over and they aren't any worse for the ware, then other people seem to hit a slight speed bump and their whole world goes out the window. What is the difference between the two? How can someone survive the holocaust and then another person cannot cope with the death of a pet? The Survivors Club argues that it depends on resiliency, and if you are a survivor and good at coping or if you aren't. The most effective survivors reach deep within themselves and find the strength to live through it, whatever the 'it' may be.I was captivated by each section and chapter of this book, I listened to it on audiobook (thanks to hatchette audio) and found myself looking forward to the next time I would have a chance to listen to the next chapter. At the end there is a survivor IQ test which is available for the reader to take online, I took it and it was an incredible portrayal of who I am. I had my husband look at it and he agreed that it was very accurate. If you reach the end and take the test and the results come back that you are not a survivor, there are things that you can do to learn how to start becoming one.This wasn't my typical book, I am a fiction fanatic...but this was really worth my time. I think I may even have to grab a hard copy so that I can underline and re-read it- It is worth it for sure!

Very interesting read. The majority of the book focuses on Sherwood recounting amazing stories of survival from individuals as varied as Nando Parrado (he of the Andes plane crash immortalized in "Alive") to the Central Park Jogger, to somewhat less famous individuals. The stories are riveting and compelling and it makes the book go by very quickly. After each survival story, Sherwood provides a bit of analysis and insight as to why these people were able to survive these tragedies and crises. Sherwood insists that all of us have within us the ability to survive a crisis; we simply have to become more aware of the skills necessary (including resilience, love and optimism). The second part of the book invites you to the website to take a quiz and find out what sort of survivor you would be and which characteristics are your strongest. At first, I was a bit apprehensive about signing on to the site and taking the quiz. It felt a bit too gimmicky, like Sherwood was really trying to milk this notion for all its worth. However, once I signed on, I was surprised. The quiz was really interesting and though I haven't fully explored the website, it seems much more interesting than I originally thought it would be. Hopefully, my feeble memory will be able to retain some of the important notions that I need to remember to survive in a crisis.

Filled with stories of those who have survived disease, crime, war, disasters, and personal struggles, this book plays out the many ways in which survivors have come through the hardships they suffered, and have even thrived on the new skills and outlooks they have gained from the adversity. The book includes information in the fields of sociology, physics, neurology and psychology, but is never boring. It is well worth reading, and may even prepare you for a time when you will need the skills to be a survivor. The book also includes a link to an online survey to help you understand your personal greatest strengths as a potential survivor. I recommend this book highly. Read it, then read it again as needed.

In America, life expectancy is 78.14 years. If you would like to live longer, read this compelling self-help book. It's loaded with detailed research material and anecdotal tips on surviving--what to do when: being impaled with a foreign object, finding yourself lost in the woods, experiencing an airplane crash, having a heart attack, or making a trip to the ER.Many topics are covered with proof that they help people live: the power of prayer, managing fear, the will to live, and having good genes. Adversity can work to make people appreciate life and have a better perspective. Daily joy can be experienced after a traumatic episode.Offered are such informative chapters as: The Survivor Profile, Your Survivor IQ, and Your Survivor Tool Kit. I suggest using this volume as a resource tool. Though it is interesting enough to be read straight through, I want to keep it around to refer to often.

I admit it. I like pop psychology books.For me, I think the science behind most of these books is trumped up, and doesn't stand up as well to significant scrutiny. That said, what I find most fascinating about books like The Tipping Point and Blink, and now The Survivors Club, are the human-interest stories. From Ellin Klor, impaled on a knitting needle, to Cassi Moore, attacked by flesh-eating bacteria, these people have been through hell and survived--and that in itself is amazing.These are the stories of Lifetime movies and Hallmark Channel specials, but Sherwood does a good job of relaying emotional and sensitive stories without giving into the sentimentality that could taint the premise. This is not meant to be just a feel-good, uplifting tale of overcoming odds: for those, go pick up most any memoir on the shelves. Sherwood is a reporter investigating, seeking to understand how and why certain people seem to be better equipped to live than others. His prose lives up to the job, being nothing fancy but certainly workable; he can tell a good story.In the end, he does not seem to find any firm conclusions--unsurprising, given the great scope of humanity and the things we can do to ourselves. We can learn a few of the common pitfalls of people in crisis situations, and what sort of odds we face if, for example, we want to survive a plane crash. But I doubt there are any firm answers to be found as to why some people thrive and some don't, and Sherwood fortunately manages to avoid that sort of prescriptivism himself. This isn't really a self-help book, but it can be a interesting study of hardship and humanity.It's an entertaining read, relatively quick, and much more fascinating than I thought it would be when I first heard it was my win for Early Reviewers that month.For the record, while I also found the online aspect of the book interesting, it wasn't quite as fascinating as the first part, and hearing other people's stories. Still, the online registration was simple and the test was quick and easy as well. Most of the information given by the test is also included in the book, which has descriptions of the survivor types and tool kit attributes. If you know yourself well, you can probably guess already which one you are: I knew as soon as I read the names of the types that I would be a Thinker.

Many of the survivors' stories and ordeals told in the book were pretty harrowing and a great read. The book does provide some tips on how to stay alive but not many and some read like platitudinal inspirayional stuff. Book is worth it, but probably nothing like enrolling yourself in a real survival class.

The first half or so of this book is especially brilliant, with an almost perfect blend of real-life survival experiences and scientific data. It is engrossing, fascinating, and very educational, while also being rather inspiring. Unfortunately, the book loses a lot of steam in the last section of the book. It doesn't grip you so much, the information isn't all quite so fascinating or useful, and then the final part is about the online survivor profile, so it doesn't exactly end on a high note. Basically, it goes from extremely interesting to just moderately so. Thus, I split the difference. Five stars for the first half, and three for the last half. A four star book in total. Still, even if you decide to stop reading halfway into it, I'd definitely say you should at least give this one a shot.

The subtitle of this book, The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life, implies that the book will offer practical advice. Sadly that is not the case. Many readers have enjoyed the personal anecdotes, but those short inspirational vignettes are just not my cup of tea. The online test is intended to identify your "Survivor IQ", otherwise known as your "Survivor Type", from Fighter, Believer, Connector, Thinker, and Realist, as well as your top three strengths from a short list of twelve (adaptability, resilience, faith, hope, purpose, tenacity, love, empathy, intelligence, ingenuity, flow, instinct). The test appears to be reasonably accurate, but I didn't gain any new insight: my scores were just about where I expected them to be. The rest of the website is very commercial; its main purpose appears to be promotion of survival-themed products and services.

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but this one really piqued my interest when I came across the description. I'm frankly surprised this book didn't get more hype than it did. And so, yes, I DO now know which is the safest seat on an airplane, and I DO now know where the best place to have a heart attack is. And I know who lives longer when comparing righties & lefties, as well as lots of other little tidbits that I found extremely interesting and eye-opening. I found the life stories the most interesting -- it's amazing what some people have lived through. And it's like a train wreck -- so many of the stories were so horrifying, but you just can't help but want to know more. I listened to this on audio while in the car, and my only regret is that I didn't have the book in front of me at the time so that I could take notes. Not only is it an informative book, but it would also be a good subject for discussion in a reading group. There's even a test you can take to find out your survivor IQ and to find out what your top survivor strengths are. Overall, a really thought-provoking read. Highly recommended.

This was a very good book. I like to read non-fiction, but it has been a while since I found a book this refreshing. Scholarship that is well organized, written and edited. Hooray. There was so much information. Anyone who reads this book will find a topic that they want to learn more about. It turns out that life's adversities can come up when you should have been better prepared, and when you would have no chance to conceive of a potential threat. I liked it that the author immersed himself in the topic. Traveling to expose himself to specialized training, interviewing people who overcame the odds, and research into what to do when. It was a nice treat at the end to be able to take the survey and have a profile of what kind of survivor characteristics you might have. The final lesson is that we are all more resilient and resourceful than we could ever know, and as long as we continue to pay attention and learn a few things along the way, we can all be better prepared to come out the other side. -KA